Fire day Monday

I posted earlier about flaming furniture. There's a reason why, and here it is:
Dave's house was on fire earlier today.
He was inside on his computer when the pounding and shouting began. He asked the question that everyone would likely do - "what should I grab in case it's all true?"

The obvious things are: yourself and sundry people/creatures. Thassall.

His cat had beaten a hasty retreat. And Dave ran out to see what was going on.
And it was the third floor apartment - very much on fire. Smoke, shattered glass, firemen, shocked expressions. And then silence, leaving the man upstairs with black belongings. Dave's apartment and cat remain blessedly intact.

Have you ever had a fire?
I was eleven and at Sunday school. I remember my parents wordlessly rushing me into a January jacket, and then into the car. I didn't realize why or what until I saw the sharp pitchforks of flames stabbing out the windows of our house.
The cackle of walkie talkies, the hiss of hoses - all of it was muffled. For kids, it's all roaring fire and sloppy wetness first. After the fire was done ransacking our home (it would take 3 months to move back in), we soggily trudged through the mud of charred family photos on our way up the garden path.

Half burned memories are seared into my mind.
It would have to be sundry people/creatures and photos - if I could.

and I'm sorry for that poor man.